MS National Organization for Women

rachel maddow talks about personhood in mississippi. (personhood discussion starts at 2:35)

Great article highlighting personhood MS’s Les Riley’s background as a Christian separatist and extremist.

…By supporting Amendment 26, Huckabee places himself even to the right of the National Right to Life Committee, which refused to back Colorado’s failed personhood amendment because they thought it was counter-productive and likely to be struck down as unconstitutional.

Moreover, the founder and director of Personhood Mississippi is far-right extremist Les Riley. Riley used to be a featured blogger for the Christian separatist group Christian Exodus, until his posts were conspicuously removed from the group’s site. But luckily, he left a paper trail… [screen cap of website]

According to Christian Exodus’s mission statement, “The initial goal was to move thousands of Christian constitutionalists to South Carolina to accelerate the return to self-government based upon Christian principles at the local and State level. This project continues to this day, with the ultimate goal of forming an independent Christian nation that will survive after the decline and fall of the financially and morally bankrupt American empire.”

Battle over initiative 26 puts state in spotlight, WLBT 3

A wonderful article on Huffington Post about what’s going on here in Mississippi.

…Hemmins and the No on 26 campaign said they are frustrated with the majority of Democratic politicians in Mississippi for refusing to publicly oppose the amendment.

“There’s been a lot of ‘off the record’ sentiment, but it’s really disappointing to not see state leadership publicly talk about the shortcomings and dangers of this initiative for the women and families of Mississippi,” said Leola Reis, a spokesperson for the No on 26 campaign.

The personhood measure actually has a fair amount of support from Mississippi Democrats. Jim Hood, the Democratic Attorney General, endorsed the amendment in a statement and said he would defend it if it were challenged. A spokesperson for Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, the Democratic candidate for governor, told HuffPost that that he supports the amendment as well, despite his “concerns about some of the ramifications.”

But of all the Democrats in the State Senate, only two were willing to discuss the ballot measure at all, when called by HuffPost…

Read the full article at HuffPo’s website. Please share it widely!!

The Jackson Free Press reports:

The campaign working in support of the Personhood Amendment has launched a fake website to attack the Political Action Committee working against the ballot measure that would redefine the word person in the state Constitution. “Yes on 26” is using the site to call out Mississippians for Healthy Families’ registered officers Nsombi Lambright of the ACLU and Kay Scott of Planned Parenthood. The site attacks the organizations for their position on abortion rights.

Read the full story on their website.

On November 8, 2011 residents of Mississippi will vote on Initiative 26, a so called “Personhood Amendment” that will change how a person is defined in the Mississippi Constitution. Since 2008, RESOLVE and its Board of Directors have stated their opposition to any attempts to pass Personhood Amendments or legislation as it undermines access to safe and reliable infertility medical treatments. RESOLVE opposes Initiative 26 and urges all Mississippi residents to VOTE NO on Initiative 26 on November 8.

Visit their website to view their FAQ and Policy Statement

From the Daily Mississippian:

…But on Nov. 8, birth control could become illegal in the state of Mississippi; yet another unintended consequence of Initiative 26. This so-called “Personhood Amendment” will change the legal definition of the word “person” in Article 111 of the state constitution to include “every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.”

Read the full article on their site